As leaders for the divisions of Student Success and Graduate Studies, our charge is to ensure that students thrive. We support the whole student, employing practices that enable UC Santa Cruz students to thrive academically, professionally, and personally. In that spirit, we write to you in advance of next week’s scheduled strike activity to share some thoughts and resources that you may find helpful.
The university is committed to ensuring that all people may exercise the constitutionally protected rights of free expression, speech, and assembly. The ongoing opportunity for the expression of a variety of viewpoints is at the core of this commitment. The right of free speech in a university includes the right to acts of peaceful dissent, protests in peaceable assembly, and orderly demonstrations which include picketing.
It is equally important to know that these rights are subject to restrictions based on time, place, and manner rules. For example, UC policy does not allow free expression to disrupt the regular and essential operations of the university, to significantly infringe on the rights of others, or to block or impede ingress to or egress from the campus or buildings. When free expression disrupts our ability to offer classes, carry on research, or run the university in general—or when it violates university policy or the law in any way—then it may be subject to disciplinary consequences.
If you want to learn more, you can look especially at sections 30, 40, and 102 of the Student Policies and Regulations Handbook.
Though we do not know how these strike activities will impact the operation of our campus, we are working to do everything we can to meet your basic needs through what could be a disruptive time.
To ensure that student residents with meal plans have food on these days of potential action, meal accommodation bags and food will be made available for pick-up in advance. More information is available online, including details about the food pantries.
Additionally, it’s possible that Student Health Services may be closed during the strike. The health center recommends that students proactively take care of any immediate health care needs. However, please know that the campus has taken measures to give students access to counseling services even if Student Health Services is closed. More information is online.
Real-time updates about the strike and campus operations will be posted at ucsc.edu/advisory beginning early May 7.
Thank you for your patience during this time.
